Winter Tyres
Roger Sanders has announced his retirement after nearly 30 years with Continental. Sanders entered the tyre industry in 1965 to become one of Dunlop’s first ever apprentices. He subsequently joined its motorsport division, where he progressed to become Dunlop’s youngest ever manager and technical expert, specialising in motorcycle tyres. He will leave the position of general manager of the tyre manufacturer’s Technical Services division, UK and Ireland.
Pirelli unveiled its new Cinturato P7 Blue passenger car tyre on the first day of Reifen 2012 – an event that is significant as it is the first product to reach European markets with A ratings for both wet grip and rolling resistance. The tyre achieved the AA rating in size 235/45 R17, and is an evolution of the company’s Cinturato P7 product. Pirelli also demonstrated its Cyber Fleet truck sensors, currently trialling on a fleet of 13 HGVs, in real time. Responding to Tyres & Accessories’ questions, Pirelli representatives said that the P7 Blue achieves the improved characteristics over the base P7 model through use of a new compound and several subtle changes to the tread pattern, including “optimisation of the shoulder”. The base compound of the tyre, underneath the tread, was also credited for helping the P7 Blue attain it’s A ratings.
The inventor of the winter tyre, Finland’s Nokian Tyres had a stand in Hall Three that was striking for its minimalist, expressionistic Nordic feel… and because it had only one tyre model displayed on its stand. The tyre it did show was, as it would have to be, special: the Hakkapeliitta 7 studded tyre (255/35R20 97 T XL) was fitted to Nokian’s world record-setting modified Audi RS-6, driven by the company’s test driver Janne Laitinen, which travelled at 331,610km/h on the Gulf of Bothnia in Oulu, Finland. The tyre also made history in 2012 on the E-RA electric car built by students at the Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences that Laitinen also drove at record ice speeds – 252.09 km/h. Despite these feats, the tyre is the regular production model, sold mainly across the Nordic region and Russia, where the brand is number one in terms of “recognition and appreciation”.
On its Hall Three stand and during an evening event at Essen’s central Mövenpick Hotel, Nankang unveiled its new logo at Reifen 2012 alongside two new products. The Taiwanese company’s staff also presented the array of new lines it has recently introduced, in addition to previewing its latest asymmetric tyre, the AS-2, which is in the “final evaluation” stage of its development. Manufactured in Taiwan (“14,000 pieces per day”) and China (“25,000 pieces per day”), Nankang turned over 461 million euros in 2011, and with 40 per cent of its sales, Nankang said that Europe is by far its biggest market (comparing favourably with 18 per cent in North America and 15 per cent in Asia). The company also presented its comparative sales figures in Europe over the past five years, which showed a dip from 120 million euros in 2007 to a nadir of 97 million in 2009 – having ascended significantly in 2010, the figure now stands at 184 million euros in 2011. The company also noted the growing demand for its winter tyres in Europe, which has climbed from 0.336 million in 2008 to 1.215 million in 2011. It is, according to the company, “the main line we are focusing on.”
I don’t want to be overdramatic, but the first round of tyre label unveiling that took place during last month’s Reifen 2012 (see page 46 in the forthcoming July issue for complete coverage of this event) was certainly telling. What we saw was a wide range of different approaches to disseminating this information. What we heard was an even wider range of explanations for all of this. But in the end it was as much about what the various manufacturers didn’t say as it was about what they did say.
According to Lyssa da Costa, manager of marketing at Hercules Tire’s Canada and international divisions, Reifen 2012 was a “busy, productive show” for the wholesaler. At the exhibition, the company displayed a wide range of its products, including three recently launched winter tyres in the Hercules and Ironman ranges.
Announcing that it will start labelling its car tyres today (2 July), Bridgestone Europe says it will join Pirelli in bringing an AA-rated product – the Ecopia EP001S – to market. Coming in just a few months after the Cinturato P7 Blue, which was unveiled at Reifen 2012 in Essen, the tyre will be available in the UK on 1 October 2012 with top A grades on both fuel efficiency and wet grip. Bridgestone also claims that it is the first product in the industry to achieve top label grading both in Europe and in Japan. Though not present at the company’s Reifen stand in early-June, the EP001S, the latest member of the fuel-efficient Ecopia range, will be officially presented at this September’s Paris Motor Show and effectively introduced in the European market as of October 2012.
Pirelli has acquired 100 per cent of Däckia Holding AB, one of the main multi-brand tyre distribution chains in Sweden from private equity group Procuritas Capital Investors IV LP (and minority shareholders) for 625 million kronor (approximately 70 million euros). Reporting the news, Pirelli explained that the move is in line with its strategy of reinforcement on markets with strong growth in high-end, high margin segments. In this case this is likely to mean the sale of winter tyres.
Cooper Tire & Rubber Company has launched a new addition to its performance winter tyre range, the WeatherMaster WSC – which stands for winter and snow confidence. The tyre’s directional tread design and high-silica polymer, low-modulus tread compound are designed to provide increased grip on icy, slushy and wet surfaces. It is launched in sizes suitable for SUVs and some passenger cars, including the BMW X3, Lexus RX350/450, Mazda 3 and 5, Toyota Rav-4 and Nissan Murano.
Cooper Tire has expanded its range of sizes for its latest high performance winter tyre, the WM-SA2, with the introduction of 15” to 18” H and V-rated fitments. The newest HP winter tyre is designed to offer increased performance on snow and slush with Cooper’s Tapered Alternating Groove technology and forward-facing shoulder grooves used to enhance braking ability. The tyre’s backward-facing centre groove works to improves traction.
For the ninth consecutive year, Michelin has topped the J.D. Power Asia Pacific 2012 Japan Winter Tire Customer Satisfaction Index Study. Out of a possible 1,000 points, Michelin beat nine other brands with a score of 644, 30 points ahead of second-placed Bridgestone. The J.D. Power study was based on responses from 7,461 vehicle owners who purchased new winter tyres for their car between May 2009 and February 2012 and who are still using these tyres. The study was fielded in February 2012 and measured customer satisfaction with winter tyres by examining six key factors: tyre performance in snow-covered road conditions, performance in icy road conditions, durability/reliability, ride/quietness on dry or wet roads, handling/traction on dry or wet roads and appearance.
Noting the changeable British climate in the month of May alone, Bridgestone UK has once again suggested the benefit of fitting its A001 Weather Control all season tyre. In recent months the unpredictable weather has left motorists battling vastly contrasting conditions in short periods of time. In extreme cases drivers have had to deal with weather ranging from heavy rain, sun, even hail and snow during the same journey. The last week’s hot weather replaced an unusually cold early May, with hail stones battering the Tyrepress.com office window in Stoke-on-Trent earlier in the month.
When Federal Tyre returns to the Reifen show in Germany this June, the Taiwanese manufacturer will showcase its Himalaya ICEO winter tyre, which is aimed at consumers in Northern Europe, Russia/CIS and Japan. Sizes initially on offer range from 155/70R13 through to 245/45R18, and Federal says the range will continue to be expanded throughout the rest of the year.
Nokian’s recently reported first quarter 2012 financial numbers were 9 per cent ahead of consensus when it came to pre-tax profits (EBIT). In addition the Finnish firm’s revenue result during the same period was 5 per cent higher that average of market analysts expectations. According to analysts at Morgan Stanley, Nokian’s margin was also 100 basis points better than expected at 27.3 per cent. In fact the only cloud on the horizon was said to be net debt which was weaker than estimates perhaps because of high working capital.
The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., has reported that first quarter net sales (1 January to 31 March) increased 7.4 per cent over the same period of the previous year to 135.3 billion yen. At the same time operating income increased 403.3 per cent, to 9.3 billion yen; and net income increased 389.7 per cent, to 8.8 billion yen. According to the company, the first-quarter sales growth reflected strong gains in OE sales to Japanese OEMs as well as progress in raising prices for tyres and other products.
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